What If
by StormSpirit101
Summary: A different take on the Naruto story. What if the members of Team 7 met when they were children? What if they depended on each other? What if Naruto was a little more cynical? What if Sasuke ran away? What if Sakura had abusive parents?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A small blond boy weaved through the shadowed alleys, his blue eyes scanning his surroundings every few seconds. His tattered green shirt hung awkwardly on his frame, and his shorts were several sizes too big. The villagers took great care to avoid him, though he could still feel their poisonous glares burning into his back. The boy ducked into an alley, making his way across the dark path. He arrived in front of a rundown building. All the residents of a formerly glorious place had abandoned it as soon as he set foot in the building. Without maintenance, the place was falling apart.

Carefully opening the door, as to not to break it, he stepped into his abode. Upon entering, his eye was immediately drawn to the pile of tattered blankets that he had collected to serve as his bed. He brought out a parcel wrapped in cloth from underneath his loose clothing. He slowly unwrapped it, looking at the few chunks of bread and a mixture of various plants that he had gathered that day. Plopping onto the pile of old blankets, he perfunctorily started to consume the food in front of him.

He had just finished eating when he sensed a massive crowd approaching. A wave of danger ran down his spine, urging him to run. He never knew why, but he had always known when someone intended to harm him. He took one glance around the room, finding nothing that he wanted to keep. Prying up a floorboard, he crawled into the tunnel he created for just that purpose. No sooner than he had replaced the floorboard, the door to the building was kicked down. He didn't stick around to see what happened. He fled.

Emerging from the ground, he shook the dirt out of his clothes and hair as he observed his surroundings. When he had first made his network of tunnels, he had dug a few everywhere he could think of going. It took a lot of time and effort, but he prevailed. The crisp, cold air stung his nostrils as he breathed heavily. He had somehow ended up at the Academy. After brushing his hair with his fingers to get any excess dirt out of it, he headed over to the swing he usually occupied whenever he was at the Academy. The other children avoided the swing as if it was the plague.

Immediately, he noticed something off. Instead of the frequently desolate swing, a little brown haired girl was sitting on it. The boy longed for the soothing sensation of rocking back and forth; the pleasure of weightlessly flying through the air and forgetting the world around him. He knew better than to try and take the swing by force though. Staying behind the tree that was at the edge of the clearing, he leaned against the tree as he waited for the girl to leave.  
at the skies, he noticed that the stars were out. Surely, the girl's parents would be worried. His blue eyes narrowed as he pondered whether or not to reveal himself and remind the girl of the time. Fear of being ostracized won out, and he stayed behind the tree, completely silent. He observed the brown-haired girl. Her glittering green eyes sparkled with something that resembled tears. He didn't know what to do. His upbringing had taught him nothing except to ignore others and how to survive. Being faced with a crying girl was something he had never experienced before.

He hesitantly approached the girl. His face was a perfect mask of pleasantry and concern, though if one looked closely, they would see the worry and fear of getting rejected hidden deep within his blue eyes. As he drew closer to the girl, he noticed the shadows under her eyes and the bruises on her cheek. "Hello," he squeaked, his voice hoarse from disuse. The girl's head snapped up, her piercing green eyes meeting his shielded blue ones.

"Hello," she sniffled, tears still running down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Direct and to the point; he had never like wasting words. The girl- the child-he reminded himself, did not answer. Sobs racked her body as she hid her face in her hands.

"My parents," she replied with the innocence and trust that only a child could have. "I just dropped a plate, the first plate I had ever dropped, because my f-f-father," she stuttered over the word, afraid. "Because my father tripped me. T-t-then he hit me for breaking it!" Blue eyes flashed with thinly veiled anger. Once it became clear the girl wasn't going to continue speaking, he walked closer to her.

"Come," he said succinctly. The girl looked confused.

"W-w-what?"

"Come. With me." The boy offered a hand to her. The girl hesitantly took it. Her hand moved on its own, almost as if it was possessed. The boy offered her a small smile as he led her away from the Academy. The girl trailed behind him, trusting him the way only a child could.

"The boy led her through the dark alleyways, bobbing through the nooks and crannies of the narrow corridors. The girl followed him the best she could, but she was unused to such physical work and soon fell behind. Green eyes darkened with despair as she realized that she was being left behind. She cried out in shock as she tripped over a trash bag lying in the middle of the alley. The boy was beside her in a millisecond, roughly grasping her arm to prevent her from face planting.

"T-t-thank you," the girl muttered, pulling herself together.

"We're almost there," he replied, brushing off the gratitude. The girl looked around, her brown hair flying around as she turned her head from side to side. She didn't recognize the place that she was in. It was further than she had ever been allowed to go.

They were now on the outskirts of the residential places. Much to the girl's surprise, he walked right past the houses and into the forest. The girl whimpered in fright as she glimpsed the looming branches of the tall trees and the growls of animals that promised death. The boy merely glanced at her before beckoning her over. She reigned in her fear. With all the courage she possessed, she stepped, one foot after another, into the forest.

Not five minutes later, they arrived at a small cave. Her green eyes ran over the cave, observing the small homey atmosphere that seemed to be present in the barren room. In one corner lay a small bed made out of tattered blankets and pine cones. There was a small fire pit set up in the middle of the cave, though it was unlit. Small scraps of paper were littered throughout the room, she recognized one of them as a newspaper from a few weeks ago.  
"U-u-um, do you live here?" she asked timidly. Sad blue eyes met her green ones.

"Not exactly. It's a hideout, but I much prefer it to my actual residence." She sat down on the small pile of blankets framed with pinecones. They were surprisingly comfortable, after all, she used to sleep on the cement floor in her basement. Before she knew it, she had curled up on the side of the bed and had fallen asleep. The boy looked over at her, a small smile on his lips. Deftly assembling another small bed of pine cones, he lay down facing the ceiling of the cave. Blue eyes finally dropped the armor protecting them, and the boy fell asleep.

At the stroke of dawn, the cave flooded with a brilliant light. The boy opened his eyes, using a hand to shield them from the sun. He gazed at the magnificent sunrise outside. Glancing at the girl still curled up on his makeshift bed, he debated between staying until she woke up or running a few errands before she woke up. Weighing the pros and cons of each situation, he decided it would be prudent to wait a bit. Busying himself with a couple necessities, he sat and watched the sunrise.

The girl finally awoke when the sun was almost directly overhead. The boy was annoyed. He did not like waiting. He was irked at the fact that he had wasted half a day waiting for the girl to wake up. His face must have said that much because the girl flinched away from him. His eyes softened. "Come," he ordered, standing up and brushing a few stray leaves off his tattered shirt.

"W-w-where are we going?" The girl questioned, even as she obediently got up.

"First to my other residence so you can wash up. Then we are going to change your looks." The girl looked surprised.

"I-i-is there something wrong w-w-with the way I look?" The boy scanned her up and down.

"No. We just can't have you recognized. What would happen if your parents found you again? I assume that you do not want to go back there." The girl shook her head vehemently.

"Never," she stated, not stuttering for the first time. The boy flashed her a brief smile.

"Good. Choose a hair color."

"H-h-hair color?"

"Yes, a hair color. Preferably something out of the ordinary. The more conspicuous the better," he elaborated impatiently.

"C-c-conspicuous?"

"Stands out. It's less likely that your parents would recognize you that way."

"O-o-oh. Pink?" Blue eyes met hers in astonishment.

"Pink?" he questioned.

"I-i-is there something wrong with pink?" she asked defensively.

"No. It was unexpected. Let's go." The boy turned and exited the cave, the girl not far behind him. On their way back to the main part of the village, the girl observed the way the boy moved, as well as the path he took. His movements were fluid as he twisted through alleyways and his steps were completely silent, not even the rustle of the leaves underneath his feet were heard. He moved like a predator closing in on his prey, surprising for a child her age. She tried to copy his movements, but only ended up stumbling and careening into her companion. Just like the other time, he ended up catching her before she fell. She blushed in embarrassment as he set her on her feet and told her to be more careful. She nodded and payed more attention to her surroundings, rather than her observations of the boy.

She was preoccupied with not tripping over her feet that she almost didn't notice the boy slipping in and out of the throng of people. Her green eyes widened as she noticed that the boy was stealthily sneaking little tokens from the people he accidentally bumped into. A wallet here, a small key there, it was almost as if she was watching a lion pounce on a deer. His hands never once paused or hesitated in taking what he wanted, nor did his face ever betray the fact that he was stealing from them. She saw him for who he was, a boy who grew up on the streets and had the skills to prove it. The unsuspecting populace payed little to no attention to the boy that was in their midst, although there were a few groups of people that gave him a wide berth.

"Hurry up," he yelled back at her, snapping the girl out of her trance.

"C-c-coming," she called back, trying to move as efficiently as possible towards him. The boy was already nearly two blocks ahead of her. Now that she was paying attention, she noticed the pockets of his pants were slightly more bulky than they a few minutes ago. Steeling herself, she asked "What are you going to do with everything you stole." The boy didn't look surprised that she had figured out what he was doing, but his eyes widened regardless.

"Use what I need, then give it back."

"How?"

"I remember everyone that I borrow from. Comes with the trade. I'll teach you sometime." He selected a watch from his pocket and held it out for her to see. "This came from the woman who runs the bakery about two blocks down. She always keeps her watch in her pocket due to her hands being covered by flour. This wallet," he continued, pulling out a small black pouch, "came from the man who runs the flower shop nearby. He only carries coins around with him, so it is easy to take a little bit then leave the rest of the pouch in that cafe, where he eats lunch almost every day."

"Y-y-you are very smart," the girl praised freely. "W-w-will you teach me?" The boy glanced at her, and nodded, replacing his findings in his pockets.

"Of course. Now, for hair dye." He pushed her towards the convenience store that they had arrived at when they were talking. "Go in and say it is for your mother." He handed her a small stack of coins and practically shoved her through the door.  
The girl visibly cowered as she entered the store. Her brown hair framed her face, covering her from view. She slowly made her way towards the hair dye section and chose one of her favorite shades of pink. Cringing at the sharp look the owner of shop sent her, she managed to mutter: "It's for my mother." Nodding amiably, the store owner gave her change and sent her on her way. The boy was casually leaning against the wall outside of the store. The girl held up the hair dye in success. The boy shot her a thumbs up and they made their way back to the cave.

"Stay here," The taciturn boy said. He didn't wait for the girl to nod before disappearing through the entrance of the cave. He came back with what looked like a hollowed tree trunk that was filled to the brim with crystal clear water. Telling her to place a tattered blanket around her body, he wet her hair and painted the dye over the strands of her brown hair.  
Once the dye had set, he meticulously washed her hair out, staining the once clear water pink. He handed the girl a small pocket mirror that he had nicked earlier that day. The girl stared at her reflection in awe. The pink hair made her green eyes stand out, almost as if they were popping out of her head. She ran a small hand through her locks, enjoying the feel of her freshly washed hair. She turned to the boy, who was standing beside her.

"Thank you!" she squealed, jumping up and flinging herself at the boy, knowing that he would catch her. And sure enough, he did, albeit with a little surprise.

"You're welcome?" He replied, setting her down on her feet.

"No one has ever done anything like this for me!" the suddenly garrulous girl exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I've never had a friend before! Can I stay with you? You aren't going to hit me, right? What's your name? " Her torrent of questions stopped as the blond made a placating motion with his arms.

"Yes, you can stay with me. I am not going to hurt you. And as for my name, I don't know it." The girl looked at him, wide eyed.

"Why don't you know your name?" The boy sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I grew up on the streets, no one's ever given me a name. What's your's?"

"I'm Sakura! Hey, can I name you?" The boy thought for a moment, eventually nodding.

"If you would like to, I would be honored." Sakura pondered for a moment.

"What about Haru?" she asked.

"Spring?" he rolled the name around on his tongue. "Sure," he said, liking the feel of it. The girl beamed, her green eyes sparkling.

"Haru it is then! Hello, Haru. It's nice to meet you!" she proclaimed, offering a hand to the boy. The boy took it with a small smile.

"You as well," he grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

The boy walked through the streets, his hands dangling comfortably by his sides. He accidentally bumped into people, his hands ravaging their pockets, looking for loose change or wallets. His hands were never noticed, the smooth and mechanical motion of sliding in and out of pockets was so well practiced that it no longer showed on his face. The girl on the other side of the street had no such luck. She was quickly caught. The black haired man that she had been trying to pickpocket grasped her arm, no doubt leaving bruises. The girl cried out, her green eyes flashing with pain. Upon noticing this, the boy hurried over, yanking the girl's hand out of the man's hold. He bowed to the man.

"Pardon my sister," he stated robotically. "She is just hungry." The girl widened her eyes and looked as innocent as she possibly could. She could sense the man melting.

"I didn't mean to," she whispered, twirling a strand of her hair around her hand. "I was very hungry. I haven't had anything to eat in two days, my brother longer than that. Don't punish us?" she asked, looking up at the man through her eyelashes. The man softened.

"Of course not, oh, you poor children." The man cooed. He took out his wallet. "Here you go, run along now and get something to eat." The girl's face brightened like the sun. She held out her small hands and the money was dropped in them. With the most adorable smile she could muster, she bowed to the man in thanks.

"Thank you!" she grinned. The boy placed a hand on her back and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, sir," he muttered, grasping the girl's upper arm and pulling her away. "We really appreciate it," he called at the man. The man shook his head.

"The tough lives children these days lead. Ever since the Third Shinobi War and the Kyuubi attack, there have been more and more street kids. Life is hard for them," he murmured wistfully, putting his wallet back into his pouch. He took out a cigarette and lit it. "Especially that boy," he added, taking a puff. "Good luck, you'll need it." He took to the roof tops, instantly disappearing.

"What did I say to do when you get caught?" the boy berated the girl as soon as they had reached the safety of their cave.

"To kick them between the legs and run away," the girl whispered, hanging her head shamefully. The boy nodded.

"And what did you do?" he prompted, sensing that the girl wasn't going to continue.

"I froze." The girl was almost inaudible.

"Hmm?"

"I froze," the girl said, louder.

"What was the number one rule?" the boy asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"To improvise when caught and never freeze," the girl parroted the words that the boy had said when he first started teaching her how to survive on the streets.

"Good," the boy said, patting her on the head, his hands ruffling through her pink hair.

"Huh?" The girl squeaked. She was expecting another lecture. The boy smiled at her.

"You're learning. You managed to improvise this time. You're doing well," he said, awkwardly praising her. The girl beamed.

"Thanks, Haru!" she exclaimed.

"Though next time you freeze, expect to sleep in the forest," he added. This did nothing to dampen the girl's spirits.

"It won't happen again," she said determinedly.

"Good. Come," he said, beckoning her to the mouth of the cave.

"What?" she asked. The boy merely motioned again. The girl let out a small sigh, but obediently walked towards him. He patted her on the head and strode out of the cave.

"Follow," he ordered. The girl did. She observed the way he weaved through the branches of the forests, taking care not to disturb any nests that he might have come across. His feet glided across the leaves laying on the ground, hardly disturbing them. Her own feet, in comparison, kicked up a storm whenever she stepped. The branches snapped as soon as she stepped on them. Her hair was crowned with leaves. The boy's tattered shirt seemed swirl around him, seemingly protecting him from the barrage of leaves that came with the wind. The girl was so caught up in her observations that she barely noticed him stopping in front of a large clearing.

"Where are we?" The girl questioned, placing her hands on her knees. She was panting hard.

"Stamina," he muttered.

"Huh?" The girl asked.

"Nothing. Look around." As the girl caught her breath, she took a long look around the clearing. The grass was long, almost up to her ankles, yet it looked right. Small flower patches were scattered throughout the field and a ginormous tree stood proudly in the middle of the clearing, its leaves glistening with dew drops. The vibrant colors of the leaves of the tree in the middle of the field made the place seem like a scene from a fairy tale.

"Wow," the girl breathed, her green eyes wide with wonder.

"Yep," the boy said, making his way towards the tree in the center of the clearing, careful not to disturb the flowers. The girl hesitantly followed, trying her best to avoid squashing any flowers with her heavy footsteps. The boy fluidly hoisted himself onto the lowest branch of the tree, being cautious. He offered a hand to the girl, who took it. The boy grunted as he lifted the small girl and settled her with her back against the trunk.

The girl was astonished. She could feel the energy humming through the tree, as if it had an energy source of its own. The boy smiled at her.

"It's great, isn't it? I come here to think. The sense of peace I get while I'm here helps me forget about everything," the boy explained, a serene smile present on his face.

"I like it here," the girl said, leaning into the trunk of the trees, feeling the steady strum of energy flowing through the tree. She relaxed.

"Good. Let's talk about why you froze earlier," he abruptly changed the subject.

"Huh?"

"You froze. You didn't want to steal. But you have to learn that it is the only way to survive." The girl pondered over his words. The life humming through the tree allowed her to think clearly. She thought back to her life. The enraged face of her father floated through her mind. She flinched as the phantom vision raised his hand. Her resolve strengthened. She opened her eyes, a steely glint now present in the emerald depths.

"I understand," she said quietly. The boy smiled.

"Good," he replied, patting her on the head. The girl leaned into his touch, and he let his hand rest on her head for a moment longer. "Good," he repeated softly, stroking her hair.

"Thank you," she muttered, leaning against the tree again, her eyes drifting shut.

"Anytime," he answered, watching the sleeping girl. He climbed up to a different branch, and much like the girl beneath him, he slept.

Not long later, a thud and a screech of pain woke him up. He barely managed to stay on the branch he was precariously perched on. He scurried down the tree only to see a pink haired girl lying on the ground clutching her left arm. His blue eyes darkened in worry as she whimpered.

"Careful," he muttered, gently unwinding the girl's arm from her grasp. She gasped as he moved it. The boy ignored it as he studied the injury. He nodded as he stood up. "It's not broken," he said, his eyes betraying his relief.

"It hurts," the girl whimpered. The boy winced.

"I know," he replied. "Let's go."

"Where?" she asked, cradling her injured arm.

"To a medic I know," he said, pulling her up. The girl followed, desperate for some relief.

She followed the boy through the streets that he seemed to know like the back of his hand. His steps were sure and silent as he flowed through the crowds of people. The girl had lost track of the number of turns that he made before he stopped in front of a door in the middle of a secluded street. The girl whimpered slightly at the state of the house. It desperately needed to be repaired; the roof was practically caving in.

"Come," he said, knocking on the door. It immediately swung open, revealing a purple haired woman in grey pyjamas. "Hello," the boy said, stepping in the house without being invited. The woman merely moved back and allowed him to enter.

"What are you doing here, brat?" she asked, yawning, her tone holding no malice.

"My companion fell out of a tree. She needs healing," the boy briefly explained the situation. He had barely finished speaking before the woman was by the girl's side and examining her arm. Sakura flinched back as the woman's hand glowed green. Her heart sank as she watched the woman frown, but her discomfort quickly faded as the pain in her arm alleviated. The woman's frown remained. This wasn't unnoticed by the boy. He pulled the girl to another room.

"Can you stay here for a bit?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "I need to speak with Mitarashi. Would you make tea?" It was phrased as a question, but they both knew that it was a hidden order. She nodded and headed to the kitchen as the boy went back into the room.

"What's wrong?" he asked, cutting directly to the heart of the matter. The woman looked at him, her purple eyes revealing just how serious the situation was.

"She was abused," she muttered, her arms snaking around her torso.

"I already knew that," the boy said. "How bad?" He asked after a moment. The woman breathed out, her arms dropping to her sides.

"Really bad. Her arm has been broken at least twice," the woman stated. "There is also evidence of assault on multiple occasions. Her bones are brittle from malnourishment, but that is not something that I can fix. Her organs are working fine, so as long as she doesn't hurt herself badly and gets all the nutrition she needs, she'll be like any other girl her age," the woman said. Her eyes locked on Haru's. "There is one more thing," she said.

"What?" the boy asked.

"Her psychological state. You need to keep an eye on it. A young child going through that is most likely to develop PTSD."

"What's that?" the boy asked. The woman was suddenly reminded of the boy's true age. He too was just a child, even though he was more mature than most.

"Post traumatic stress disorder," the woman explained.

"Trauma, huh?" the boy mused. "Do you have it?" The woman stiffened. "It's hard to believe that you don't, after all, you have been through what I have, perhaps more. Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. The woman shook her head, smiling wanly.

"You have a lot to handle, don't you?" She patted his head, pulling away before he could swat her hand. "Remember, you're just a child too." she said. The boy opened his mouth to retort but promptly shut it as the door opened.

"Tea's ready," a timid voice called out. The girl walked in, struggling to balance the cups and pot on the tray she was precariously holding with one hand. The boy ran over and took the tray from her hands, ushering her towards the couch.

"I don't believe I introduced you guys. Mitarashi, this is Sakura, Sakura, this is Mitarashi."

"Hello, Sakura," the woman smiled, holding out her hand.

"H-h-hello," Sakura answered, looking at her feet and shaking the hand cautiously. The woman burst out laughing.

"Wow, you're worse than the brat was when he first met me," she crowed.

"B-b-brat? D-d-do you mean Haru?"

"Haru?" the woman asked, turning towards the boy.

"She named me," he replied shrugging.

"Anyways, do you want to know how I met the brat? He tried to pickpocket me a few years ago," the woman said, seeing the girl nod. Haru groaned. "I caught him, of course. He was so small back then, maybe a few inches shorter than you, Sakura. He was adorable. He tried to run away, of course I wouldn't have any of that, so I shot him in the leg with a paralytic poison I made. Did you know a single drop can paralyze a grown man for a few minutes. Of course, being the child he was, he was knocked out. He woke up to me in a towel after I exited the bathroom, and screamed and tried to jump out the window. When I tried to ask him where he lived, he tried to kick me between the legs and bolt out the front door. Me, being a woman, could not let that slide. I tied him up and tickled him for a good hour before letting him out of the house. For nearly a year, every time he saw me, he would freeze like a deer and headlights and run down an alley." The woman burst into laughter again, her hands clutching her sides.

"Then the prank war," Haru interjected. "Her hair wasn't always purple. I found a plant in the forest and crushed it into a permanent dye. I snuck in while she was out at a bar and poured it into her shampoo bottle. When she came back, she was too drunk to notice what was in the bottle and dumped it all over her head. I heard the scream from the clearing. We have called a ceasefire for now, so don't worry," he reassured the girl, who looked a little afraid.

"T-t-that's nice," she managed to stutter out. She looked at the still laughing woman and the boy, whose eyes had lightened since coming into the house. She wanted the easy relationship that the two had, the silent support that they gave each other, and the trust that was put in one another. She wanted the security that the two would bring, security she never had because of her parents. Her green eyes cleared and her resolve strengthened. She vowed to learn the ways of a life on the streets so that she wouldn't be useless and a burden to the boy who clearly had a lot on his plate. Of course, that wouldn't stop her from getting hurt every once in awhile so that they could visit Mitarashi. She stood by as the two said their farewells.

"Hey, Haru?" she asked once they were on the streets.

"Hmm?" the boy hummed.

"I'm ready," she said, determinedly. The boy smiled.

"Good."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

And she was. Over the next few months, she learned how to manipulate people into giving out more information than they wanted to. She learned how to pickpocket unsuspecting victims, arming herself with her facade of innocence. She learned the layout of the streets and how to maximize the rarely used alleyways. But the one thing that she couldn't learn was the one she wanted to learn the most - she wanted to learn about the boy who had taught her how to survive.

The girl made her way back to the cave, wincing as branches snapped under her heavy footfalls. She had improved tremendously over the past few months, but her footsteps were still loud, especially compared to Haru's, who practically made no sound at all, even when walking on dry leaves. Pushing the thoughts out of her mind, she made her way into the camouflaged entrance of the cave that the duo called home. Although it wasn't much, it had a comforting and secure atmosphere, something that was not present in her previous residence. The boy she had grown used being with to was nowhere to be seen. She dropped off her findings for the day, a few coins, a loaf of bread, and a silver bracelet, and headed out to the clearing, hoping to find him there.

By the time she reached the clearing, she was breathing heavily. Even after months of walking down the same path, she was still winded by the short ten minute run. But it was worth it. The blond boy was lying down in the middle of the field, his hair swaying gently in the breeze. The sunset illuminated his face, giving an angelic glow to his skin. His face was unguarded as he gazed at the colorful sky. Lazy blue eyes opened as she approached him, revealing a shade eerily similar to that of a clear sky.

"Hey," he said, sitting up and turning to look at the girl, who made her way towards him, careful not to crush any of the flowers with her clumsy footsteps. He made a mental note to work on it with her sometime in the near future.

"Hey," Sakura replied, sitting down next to him, tucking her dress underneath her. It was an old dress, one that was faded from multiple washings in the sand filled river that flowed near their cave. The girl flinched as she felt the boy's eyes scan her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, without preamble. The girl looked towards the sky.

"Nothing," she muttered. She could sense the disbelief radiating from the boy, but was relieved when he let the subject drop. She was startled when he abruptly got up.

"I want to show you something," he said, dusting off his tattered shorts. He held out a hand to the girl, who took it, long used to the commanding nature of the boy. Strangely enough, it had always felt right to follow him. She knew that she could trust the boy standing in front of her. Following him out of the clearing, the girl's sharp green eyes took in the path that he was taking, committing it to memory. After about half an hour of leisurely walking at the boy's pace, the pair arrived at a building. The building was surrounded by a tall wooden fence, which prevented anyone from seeing what was going on inside. The boy gestured to a nearby tree, offering Sakura a hand. She hoisted herself up onto the branch, hanging on to it with a vice like grip. The boy had already climbed up another few branches and motioned for her to join him. Sighing, she let go of the branch, only to feel herself wobble precariously on the branch. She hugged the trunk as she felt herself about to fall.

"I don't think I can…" her voice cracked with fear. The boy glanced down at her, before jumping down and landing on her branch, causing it to shake and the girl to let out a little scream.

"It's alright," he coaxed. "Just a little higher, then we can stop," he said, forcefully loosening her grip on the trunk. "I won't let you fall," he reassured. The girl took a shaky breath and let go of the trunk, allowing herself to be hoisted up onto the next branch. "Look," he told her, letting her sit.

Over the fence, she saw kids, perhaps a bit older than them, using weapons and sparring with each other. She didn't see what was so appealing, but when she glanced at the boy, she couldn't bring herself to voice her opinion. The boy's blue eyes were sparkling with childish hope, reminding the girl that he was still a child. The wonder the eyes held when a weapon hit the center of a target was so innocent, so untainted. She couldn't bring herself to ruin that for him, so she smiled and voiced her pretend astonishment. "Wow," she breathed, drawing upon all the improv lessons the boy had given her. The boy turned to her, smiling wider than she had seen before.

"Isn't it? Don't you want to learn how to do that?" he asked, excitement lacing his voice. "If we can learn how to defend ourselves and get jobs as ninja, we can make a better life for ourselves. You wouldn't have to feel guilty about stealing, and you won't have to live in a cave," he said. After hearing his words, the girl felt horrible for assuming that he had wanted to learn how to be a ninja on a childish whim. He was always thinking about what was best for them and how to make sure that they were safe. She had made her choice. If he wanted them to learn how to be ninja, then she would. She would be strong enough to stand beside the boy who had given her a new purpose in life. With that thought, she turned to the boy, only one question on her lips.

"How can we start?" she asked, her green eyes alight with determination. The boy smiled and jumped out of the tree, landing with a small thud.

"Let's find out," he said, holding his arms out. Trusting that he would catch her, the girl took a deep breath and allowed herself to slip off the branch and into Haru's arms.

She opened her mouth to thank the boy, when a rustle of branches caught their attention. They turned to look for the source of the sound.

"What are you two doing here?" a small voice asked, emerging from the shadows, his footsteps unsure. The blond boy turned to observe the newcomer. It was a child around his age, with black hair and eyes. His skin was pale. His clothes were finely tailored and freshly washed. The black-haired boy squirmed under the piercing gaze of the blond.

"Who are you?" the blond demanded.

"S-s-sasuke," the newcomer stuttered out, frightened by the asperity of the blond. The girl hung back behind Haru, nervous at the prospect of meeting a new person.

"What are you doing here?" Haru asked, taking a step closer to the new boy. The boy squeaked and backed up.

"Uh, I kinda, uh, ranawayfrommyhouse," Sasuke blurted out, his eyes darkening in fear. Then he slapped a hand over his mouth, looking at the blond nervously. "You aren't going to tell anyone, right?" he inquired nervously. Haru shook his head.

"My I inquire as to why?" he asked instead. The girl recognized the icily formal tone that Haru used with everyone except for those that were close to him. At first, she had thought that he was being rude, but she had come to realize that it was a way for the blond to distance himself from others. She shook her head and focused on the conversation.

"No one ever notices me. My brother is a prodigy, and everyone expects me to be just like him. He graduated the Academy when he was younger than me, and I haven't even started it yet! My father always tells me that I'm not as good as him, and that I'll never measure up to him, no matter what I do. I guess I just got tired of it," he muttered, looking down at his shoes. The blond exchanged a look with the girl who was still hiding behind him. The girl took a small breath and stepped out.

"I'm Sakura, and this is Haru," she introduced, drawing from all the improvisation knowledge that Haru had drilled into her. "Would you like a place to stay?" she asked, motioning to the two of them. The black haired boy paused, glancing at the blond boy dressed in tattered clothes and the girl wearing a simple dress with faded colors. He thought back to the neglect and the inadequacy he felt in his house, realizing that he wanted no part in that anymore. With the trust and determination that only a child could have, he made up his mind.

"If it isn't too much trouble," he said bowing to them. "Please take care of me," he added, remembering the manners that his mother had drilled into him. The blond let out a little smile.

"No need for that," he brushed off the gratitude. "Come," he said, walking off. The black haired boy turned to the girl.

"Does he do that often?" he whispered. The girl smiled, fondly gazing at the retreating back of the boy.

"You get used to it," she replied, following the blond. The black haired boy hurried behind the pair, his footsteps quick and sure.

"Where are we going?" he asked, after catching up the two. The blond didn't respond.

"To our home," the girl answered, speeding up a bit at the prospect of going back to the cave. Haru smiled at her affectionately.

"You know the way back." The question came out like a statement, but the girl nodded anyways. "I will meet you there," he said, walking in the opposite direction. The girl glanced at him quizzically, but continued back to the cave.

After twenty five minutes, a lot of complaints from Sasuke, and night falling, she proudly ushered the new boy into the cave. Her face immediately fell as she noticed the boy frown with disdain. "Do you actually live here?" he asked, a hint of disgust in his tone. She opened her mouth to reply, but another voice beat her to it.

"Do you have a problem with it?" the blond asked, appearing in the entrance. It was clear that neither kid had heard him approaching. They jumped in fright at the frigid tone that he used. "You are welcome to leave," Haru added, dropping the additional pine cones he had gathered for another bed. The black haired boy took one last look at the cave before heading out into the forest.

"You know there are creatures out there, right?" Sakura asked the boy after Sasuke had left the cave. The boy nodded, staring back at the entrance of the cave.

"He'll be back, it's dangerous out there, especially at night." A scream rang throughout the forest, punctuating his words. The boy pushed the pile of pinecones to the side and motioned for the girl to follow him. "We should go get him," he muttered, heading out of the cave. His pace was slow, but not a movement was wasted. He could easily see the path the boy had taken; he had left a trail of leaves and broken twigs in his wake when he angrily stormed through the forest. He sighed as he realized that the other boy had taken the path away from the village. He motioned for the girl to hurry up as another scream rang through the forest.

Bursting into the small clearing that Sasuke was in, he immediately burst out laughing as he saw the boy being chased by a giant angry lizard. Sakura arrived soon after, and started laughing as well. "What's so funny?" the distraught boy screamed, furiously running in circles, attempting to lose the lizard. Haru finally caught his breath.

"It's because," he let out another few snickers. "That particular breed of lizard is herbivorous," he continued, still grinning. Sasuke abruptly stopped running, allowing the lizard to catch up with him. The lizard happily licked his face, leaving Sasuke soaked in sweat and saliva, before bounding away.

"Disgusting," he shuddered. "Do you know the way out of the woods?" he asked, attempting to straighten his wet clothes and maintain some of the dignity he still had. Haru nodded, and motioned for him to go back the way they had come.

"Sakura?" Haru asked, telling her that he wanted her to lead them out. The girl gulped. Even after months, she still wasn't confident in her ability to find her way out of the forest they lived in.

"Follow me," she said, putting up a false air of confidence. The soaked boy followed the girl, with Haru trailing behind, occasionally making comments on which way would be faster. Eventually, they arrived at the outskirts of the forest. Haru's piercing blue eyes found the other boy's inky black ones.

"Are you sure you want to go back?" he asked seriously. "We will not make this offer again," he warned, telling the other that if he refused, it would be as if they had never met. Sasuke looked down and thought back to the times he was forgotten by his family, and how everyone looked down at him. With these two, he could be himself. Despite having just met, they had already saved him from a giant lizard. He nodded to himself, a steely glint present in his eyes.

"No, I don't," he said. "I don't want to go back," he repeated, finding himself believing the words. Haru smirked.

"You will be expected to share our responsibilities," he warned again. Sasuke nodded.

"I know." Sakura held out a hand.

"Welcome," she said with a small smile. Sasuke grinned, clasping his hand with hers.

"Thank you."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It had taken a while for Sasuke to let go of his disdain for his new living conditions, but once he grew used to it, he admitted that it was a less stressful environment than his previous residence. He hadn't felt this relaxed since he had found out his brother was going to survive after he had come back from a mission drenched in his own blood. But after a week, he grew to enjoy the camaraderie between his two, dare he say, friends. The three worked well together, Haru was street smart, Sakura was charming and innocent, and he provided book based knowledge that the others hadn't had the opportunity to amass. They made a good team. No reasonable person would expect kids to be capable of stealing to survive. He laughed darkly. No child should have to steal to survive, yet here they were, sitting in a cave, and completely alright with it, preferring it.

He was shaken from his thoughts as Haru walked into the cave, his face normally emotionless face drawn with emotions that Sasuke wasn't used to seeing on his face. He observed the blond. Anxiety, nervousness, anger and pity flickered across the other boy's face in various proportions.

"What's your surname?" the blond asked in his usually succinct manner, his voice not betraying what his eyes did. Sasuke looked up in surprise. It had never occurred to him that he never shared his family name.

"Uchiha," he replied, seeing no need to hide it. After all, he had dissociated himself from his former family. If it was possible, Haru's face became even tighter. The black haired boy frowned, worried at the strange behavior. He watched as the other boy procured a newspaper from somewhere underneath his old shirt and thrusted it in Sasuke's face. Sasuke took it, quickly skimming through the front page. He found nothing that merited the amount of worry that the boy was showing.

"I thought so," the blond muttered. "Third page," he sighed out, raising his voice so that Sasuke could hear it clearly. The Uchiha turned to the aforementioned page and scanned it quickly. He paused, blinked, and read it again. _The Uchiha Massacre._ The three words floated in front of his eyes, but his brain didn't comprehend them. Blood rushed out of his face as he clenched the newspaper with white knuckles. The black haired boy's eyes filled with thinly veiled anguish. He looked up at Haru his shaking hands almost tearing the newspaper apart.

"Is this true," he asked weakly, not wanting to hear the answer, yet yearning to at the same time. The blond didn't reply. "Is this true?" he repeated, louder. A hint of anger seeped into his voice. The black haired boy wanted, no, he needed answers. He stood up and stomped up to the unresponsive blond. "Is it true?" he screamed, shaking the blond, tears welling up in his eyes, but Sasuke refused to let them fall. Calm blue eyes met anguished black ones. The blond gave a short nod, and that was all it took for Sasuke to collapse into Haru's arms. The blond patted the other boy's back soothingly as he sobbed for the death of his relatives. He didn't attempt to say any comforting words, but Sasuke didn't mind. Just knowing that he had someone there for him was enough. He eventually cried himself to sleep, taking comfort in the presence of the blond. The blond lowered himself so that he was sitting on the ground with the raven's head on his leg.

An hour later, Sakura arrived, slightly panting, her pockets bulging with stolen, she preferred the term donated, food. She arrived to see Haru gutting a few fish with Sasuke's head on his lap. She placed the loaf of bread and the small handful of berries on top of an old shirt. "What happened," she asked, noticing the tear tracks on the sleeping boy's face. Haru brushed his hair away from his eyes and gestured to the half crumpled newspaper lying on the floor. The girl picked it up and glanced at the article, before pausing and rereading it. "Is it true?" she whispered. The blond nodded. "And him?" she asked, gesturing to Sasuke. The blond nodded again. "He's the last?" Another nod. "And the culprit?" she breathed. Haru shook his head.

"Escaped," he elaborated, cleaning the small blade he had used to gut the fish. "Switch with me," he muttered, gathering the entrails of the fish up with some leaves. Sakura replaced Haru so that Sasuke's head was resting on her leg. She stroked his hair as Haru exited the cave. A few minutes later, he returned, the leaves nowhere to be seen, and his hands clean. He sat next to both of them, watching the flickering flame that illuminated their home. The fire was smartly positioned so that the smoke could exit the cave, but the flame wouldn't be noticed with boulders and sticks blocking the entrance. Sakura idly stroked the boy's hair as Sasuke began whimpering in his sleep. Haru hated seeing his companions distraught, but being alone most of his life, he didn't know how to deal with emotional children. Deciding to occupy himself, he got up and distracted himself by starting a fire and roasting the fish he had caught earlier that day.

"What are we going to do?" the girl's voice rang out, eerily loud in the silent cave. Haru didn't reply immediately.

"I don't know," he muttered, poking at the fire with a stick. Sakura was struck by the three words she had never heard him say. In her eyes, he was always a pillar, always steady, always knowing what to do. She relied on his street smarts and his uncanny ability to captivate the people he meets. To hear him admit that he didn't know something was a blow to her world. She didn't recognize the confident blond that had approached her at the swing set; she saw was a boy her age that had been forced to grow up too fast. The blond got up, holding a stick out to her. "Eat," he murmured, reaching out to shake Sasuke awake.

"Wake up," he said, shaking the black haired boy. The boy blearily opened his eyes. He saw Haru and Sakura watching him warily.

"It wasn't a dream, was it?" he muttered sadly. They shook their heads.

"What are you going to do about it?" Sakura asked cautiously. Sasuke looked down and twiddled with his fingers.

"I'm going to become strong," he declared. "Strong enough to defeat Itachi."

"Revenge?" Haru asked curiously. Sasuke's eyes darkened, but he shook his head.

"As much as I dislike Itachi, I dislike my relatives more. As far as I'm concerned, he did me a favor," he said, applying the twisted logic of a child. "Besides, you two are more family than my parents would have ever been." The other two nodded, but Haru still sported a small frown.

"There has to be a reason," he muttered to himself. Sasuke snapped his head towards him.

"What?" he demanded. Sakura just looked confused.

"A reason?' she asked. "For what?" The blond was deep in thought.

"For slaughtering all the people," he explained, his eyes narrowing. Sasuke breathed in. A steely glint formed in his eyes.

"I will find out the reason," he stated, his black eyes fierce. "He won't know what hit him. That is my promise, my promise of a lifetime."

* * *

Itachi looked back at his home, tears still dripping down his face. The thirteen year old knew that he wouldn't be welcomed back to the place he called home. Everything he had done for the village weighed heavily on his shoulders, and he allowed himself one brief minute to collect his thoughts. His hands had killed for his family, the same family that he had killed with his hands.

"We'll always be proud of you, son." His father's voice rang out through his head. He stifled a sob. Father, would you be proud of what I am about to do? He couldn't help but wonder. Tears streamed down his pale skin, but he pushed the emotions away, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. He thought back to the last time he had seen Sasuke, his little brother had been with a blond boy and a pink haired girl. He had looked happier than Itachi had ever seen his little brother. It was what had allowed him to slaughter his own family without regrets. He would have to trust the two to keep an eye on his brother, and for some reason, he didn't have a problem with it. "Time to go," he muttered, shutting his eyes to prevent tears falling and pushing off the branch he was perched on.

"Are you ready," a man with an orange spiral mask asked, appearing out of nowhere. Itachi merely nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He steeled himself to begin the second part of the mission. Itachi locked his pained heart away as he followed the masked man to Amegakure; his face was a perfectly blank mask, concealing his inner turmoil. _I'm sorry, little brother. Looks like I won't be able to protect you anymore._

* * *

A few months had passed since the massacre, and the new school year was quickly approaching. The three had been able to enroll in the three year ninja Academy, all because of Sasuke. The Uchiha taught the other two the basic essential knowledge to pass the written portion of the entrance exams. Being raised in a prestigious clan, Sasuke had been taught basic arithmetic and history from a young age. Sakura also knew where the library was, and Haru had figured out a way to slip in through the windows when everyone was asleep. The three often roamed around the library, looking for books that piqued their interest.

Sakura was interested in medicine and poisons. She often studied images of the human body, so that she would know the most effective places to inject poison and medicine. She also learned how to create her own salves and how to apply medicinal herbs. She spent hours in the forest, learning the names of herbs and their uses. She hadn't been able to tinker with poisons, to which Sasuke and Haru were thankful for.

Sasuke was more focused on weapons and combat. He read scrolls on the most effective way to disable someone through combat and how to handle different types of weapons. It was all theory, he didn't have the weapons to actually practice. That didn't stop him from training his body though, he would often wake up early to go on a small run. He also set aside time each day for conditioning, where he was joined by Sakura and Haru, the latter more frequently than the former.

Haru had a surprising interest in sealing. He was disappointed to learn that he would have to perfect his handwriting before he would be able to learn the seals, so he practiced by copying down the scrolls so that he could work on both his calligraphy and the theory. That wasn't all that interested him though. He had found a particular fighting style, the Whirling Fist, and began to train in it with gusto. He frequently joined Sasuke during his workouts and Sakura during her journey's through the forest in order to help her identify herbs.

The three were confident in their ability to excel in school, even though they hadn't attended the first three years of supplementary schooling, where both civilians and aspiring ninjas were sent to learn how to read and write, as well as basic arithmetic and history. The two groups would then be split up based on what they wanted to do in the future. The ninja would enter the Academy, while the civilians were sent to secondary schooling. The trio would be jumping straight to the ninja academy, both due to their ages and their test results.

"Don't you think we should go back?" Sakura asked, eyeing the sky, which was slowly lightening as the sun rose. Sasuke glanced up from the scroll he was reading and agreed. The villagers would be waking up soon. He could already hear the birds chirping. The two looked at the blond boy, who hadn't moved. He was staring at the scroll in his hands.

"You two go on ahead," he muttered, his eyebrows furrowing. "I just need a bit longer," he said, still staring at the scroll. His blue eyes were glazed in shock. The girl exchanged a glance with the black-haired boy. They knew that the blond could take care of himself, but they didn't want to leave him. The girl sighed.

"Fine, if you aren't back in two hours, we will come and find you," she warned. The blond nodded, still engrossed in the scroll. Taking one last look at Haru, the others jumped out the window, landing with small thuds a second later.

Left on his own, Haru dropped the scroll. He frantically peeled at his ragged clothes, only to see the dark spiral that had always marred his stomach. Only after months of studying seals did he recognize it as one. He glanced back at the scroll that had fallen open to a picture of the a nine tailed fox. He clawed at the mark on his torso, but it didn't fade. He fell onto his knees in anguish.

"Why?" he whispered, clutching at his stomach and looking at the scroll in horror. One word stood out to him. Jinchuriki. Human sacrifice. The seal on his stomach. "Why?" he cried out. He was so preoccupied with the new revelation that he didn't notice that he wasn't the only one in the library anymore.

A strike to the back of the neck knocked the boy out.

"Why indeed," a low voice repeated, hoisting the unconscious boy over his shoulder before jumping out the window and disappearing.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Haru opened his eyes, only to see darkness. He looked around, but he didn't recognize where he was. He was surprised. He knew what every building in the village looked like, but this pitch black room was unexplored territory. He wracked through his mind, looking for something that would help him out of his predicament. He would have to be careful. The rough rope that bound him to the chair chafed at his skin as he twisted chair, attempting to get some leverage to free himself, but it was futile. Whoever had tied him up knew what they were doing. He resigned himself to waiting for whoever had abducted him. The door opened a crack, and Haru had to close his eyes as a flood of light illuminated the dark room.

"I suppose you know why you're here?" a voice asked. The figure stood in the doorway, tall and imposing, despite the cane in his right hand. Haru didn't respond. The boy cracked his eyes open, only to see an imposing shadow. The man exuded an aura of power that was discordant with his crippled appearance. He just studied the man in the doorway with a perfectly blank expression, his blue eyes now open and calculating. "You will answer when spoken to," the man snarled, raising a hand. Immediately pain rushed through his gut as an unknown figure appeared before him and drove a fist into his gut. Haru gasped, but made otherwise made no sound.

"Who are you?" he asked, coughing. Information was key in situations. If he could make the man slip, even just a bit, he could potentially find a way to free himself. The man shook his head slightly, as if disappointed.

"I am the one asking questions," the man replied, as Haru was punched again. Haru coughed louder. He could feel bile gathering at his throat, but he swallowed it back, refusing to show weakness. "You will learn respect," the man offhandedly mentioned, as if it was a given. The boy narrowed his eyes. He had gathered that the man knew he was a human sacrifice. He was a powerful figure that demanded respect, despite being crippled. He had ninja that followed his orders. The man had good instincts, and had clearly seen his fair share of trickery. Haru desperately tried to figure out who he was, but to no avail.

"Now do you know why you are here?" the man asked again. Haru shook his head, sensing that resistance would only lead to more pain. He felt a blade slice his left cheek open. "Lying is not permitted," the man stated calmly as a ninja stood next to him, a kunai dripping with blood. "Do you know why you are here?" the main inquired again. Haru shook his head, spitting out the blood that had dripped into his mouth. The man clearly did not believe him. Another slice followed, this one right below the last. "I will ask one more time, do you know why you are here?" Haru didn't answer. The knife flashed. A third cut joined the other two. "We can do this all day," the man sneered. The boy dropped his head in acquiescence, surrendering to the other man. His cheek stung, and he knew the cuts would scar.

"I assume it is because you want to control the beast," Haru conceded, blood running down the scratches on his cheek and filling his mouth with the metallic liquid. He turned his head to spit it out. The man grinned, stepping forward. Haru could see that the majority of the man's face was covered in bandages.

"Very good," the man smiled. He raised a hand. The boy braced himself for more pain. It didn't happen. Instead he was knocked unconscious. "But not quite. Take him to the sealing chambers," the man ordered, before walking out of the room. The ninja saluted.

"Yes sir."

* * *

The girl frantically searched the village for the blond boy. Sasuke was waiting at the cave, in case Haru returned while she was searching. Out of the two of them, it was her who knew the village better. Although the black haired boy was quickly learning, it was her that had spent hours upon hours mapping out the streets with the blond boy, learning about the unused alleys and the secret passage ways that the village contained. She would gather less attention; her bright green eyes and small stature were enough to fool any adult into thinking that she was nothing more than an innocent eight year old. Her green eyes scanned her surroundings for any glimpse of the blond boy. She saw nothing.

After frequenting all of their usual getaways and coming up empty handed, she decided that there was one more place that she could afford to visit. Mitarashi's apartment building. Sakura trudged down the unkept path that she was accustomed to walking. The girl's hopes were slowly sinking as she scanned her surroundings for any sign of the blond boy. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, hoping that the boy would be chatting with the purple haired woman. The door was immediately flung open Mitarashi, who greeted the girl with a smile. "Hello, Sakura!" the woman grinned. "What are you doing here? Where's the brat?" Sakura's lip trembled. She pushed past the woman, only to see Mitarashi's spartan living room.

"I can't find him," she cried, latching on the the older woman, who seemed perplexed.

"Whoa, calm down," the woman reassured, patting the girl on the back. She immediately deduced that the younger was talking about the blond boy that meant so much to both of them. "When did you last see him?" The girl looked at the library.

"In the library. We were reading and morning was approaching, so Sasuke and I left, but Haru wanted to stay for a bit, so he did. He said he'd be back in an hour, but he hasn't come back and I can't find him," she wailed. The woman picked the girl up.

"Let's go look for him," she asserted. She jumped up onto the rooftops, heading to the library. When she got there, she could sense that something was wrong. The girl ran around calling Haru's name, but the woman scanned the place, looking for clues.

A book lay on the ground, open to a certain page. The woman glanced at the page and froze. She picked the book up. _Uzumaki Mito, the first jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, stands proudly beside her husband, Senju Hashirama after the sealing,_ was written underneath the picture on the page on the left. T _he Kyuubi, the most fearsome of the nine tailed beast, in chains,_ was written beneath the picture on the right. The woman stared at the book in horror. He knew. She had tried to protect him, yet he had found out anyways. She glanced at the cover of the book and froze in shock. The book wasn't supposed to be in the library; it was only supposed to be found in the Hokage's secret archives. She flipped through the pages, finding records of all of Konoha's darkest secrets. U _chiha Itachi agreeing to massacre his clan. Shimura Danzo declared innocent after trial for treason._ She quickly hid the book underneath her jacket as the girl came back, tears welling in her eyes.

"I can't find him," she cried. The woman ran a hand through the girl's hair, soothing her. She smiled sadly.

"I don't think he's coming back," she explained to the girl. The girl froze and backed away from the woman. Her green eyes were glazed over, first in shock, then in anger.

"What?" she asked quietly, not wanting to believe the words. The woman didn't answer, looking towards the window as if it held all the answers. "What?" the girl roared. "Haru wouldn't just leave us. He promised! He promised that…" the girl's voice trailed off. "He promised that we'd always be together," she finished weakly. The woman engulfed the little girl in a hug.

"And he will," she reaffirmed. She poked the girl in the chest. "He'll always be with you," she said, smiling. "Right here. He'll always be with you." The girl cried harder, her fists clenching the woman's shirt. Her watery green eyes stared up at the woman's purple ones. The tear tracks running down her face glistened in the light of the library.

"He saved me, he gave me a place to call home, he gave me his friendship, his trust, his knowledge, he kept me alive" she sobbed, hot trails flowing down her cheeks. "He's going to come back," she stated, her wet green eyes shining with faith. Faith in the blond boy who had given her everything. "And I'll be here when he does."

* * *

The man smirked as he readied his sealing materials. The weapon was becoming too knowledgeable, too hard to control. He needed the boy to be stupid and malleable in order to mold him into a mindless tool. The best way to ensure that would be to seal away the boy's memories and replace them with false ones, ones that would allow the boy to remain idiotic until he was ready to be molded. Mediothically stripping the boy of his shirt, he proceeded to swirl his brush in ink and paint the boy's skin.

A few moments later, the boy's back was covered in inky black words. "Seal," the man said, putting his hands the ram seal. The words on his back retracted towards a point near the middle of his back, a point that couldn't be seen by the boy without the use of a mirror. Even unconscious, the boy screamed and writhed in pain. After a few excruciatingly long seconds, the boy fell limp against the ground, his body damp with sweat. "Place him in the hospital ward." The ninja picked the boy up. He was almost out of the room when the man frowned, noticing the partially healed knife wounds on the boy's face.

"They're too noticeable," he muttered. He couldn't have the boy, or others, asking questions when he woke up. Three scars on the face would certainly attract unwanted attention. The man thought for a second. "Cut the other cheek. We can say that they were birthmarks." The ninja obediently sliced up the boy's right cheek, leaving three bloody slashes that were sure to scar. The man wiped away the blood, revealing three cuts, symmetrical to the partially healed ones on his left. He nodded to the ninja, who promptly picked up the limp body once again and disappeared.

The man smirked. "Soon my plan will be complete," he laughed as he exited the room. He needed to prepare. When the boy woke up, he would feed him information that leave him weak and vulnerable, and most of all, dependent on him. He would have his weapon, even if it meant destroying the boy in the process.

* * *

Sasuke sat at the cave entrance, looking at the cave that had become his home. He sighed, shifting his weight. It had been over twenty minutes and Sakura still had not returned. His thoughts immediately turned the blond boy and the pink haired girl that had made the cave seem like home. His needlessly luxurious house was nothing but a distant dream, something that was slowly fading. As he watched the sunrise, he couldn't help but think of all the moments he had shared with the other two children.

 _"Haru, wait up," the girl panted, trying to keep up with the brisk pace the blond had set. It was just after nightfall, and the three were still traversing through the forest, on their way back from exploring the land. The blond, in his haste to get back to their cave, had started walking extremely fast. Even the raven haired boy was having trouble keeping up with him. The blond merely shot the two a glance, before looking up at the night sky._

 _"When you are chasing an enemy, they will not stop because you asked them to," he replied, walking a bit faster. "However, since you two are clearly tired, we will rest," he sighed, stopping. The others collapsed in relief, not caring that they were in the middle of the forest. The blond simply watched with an amused smile, leaning against a tree for support, showing that his previous pace had taken its toll on him too. The girl glanced at him, her own features breaking out into a grin as reached out the the blond. Assuming that she had wanted him to pull her up, he grasped her hand, only to be taken off guard as the girl tugged him down so that he was lying between Sasuke and herself. Sasuke, who had caught his breath by then smiled at his two companions. He had never been allowed to express his emotions, but here, among his friends, he was free to do what he pleased. He liked it._

 _"Look at the stars," the girl pointed out. "Aren't they amazing?" The black haired boy focused his attention on the night sky. The stars glittered throughout the sky, scattered among the dark abyss._

 _"It makes you feel small, doesn't it?" he replied, still staring at the sky. The blond turned to him._

 _"What do you mean?" Sasuke tore his eyes away from the sky, shifting so that he could look at his companions. Their bright blue and green eyes shined with curiosity._

 _"My brother," Sasuke paused, as if to push away painful memories, but he steeled himself and continued. "My brother said that each star is a whole other world, that each star holds as many people as the Elemental Nations do…" Sasuke trailed off._

 _"A whole other world? Well, we'll have to go see them sometime, right?" The girl asked, excitement in her voice. The blond nodded, and Sasuke was reminded that they, all three of them, were all still children._

 _"Yeah!" he agreed, holding out a fist. The other two smiled and stacked their fists on his._

 _"It's a promise," all three of them said together, before falling back on to the forest floor and laughing, their peals of joy echoing throughout the empty forest._

Sasuke was still reminiscing when Sakura came hurtling into the cave, her eyes full of tears. "I couldn't find him," she wailed, latching onto Sasuke's shirt and burying her face in it. The boy patted her back awkwardly.

"He'll be back," Sasuke soothed. The hand that had been stroking the girl's back stilled as a thought struck him. But what if he didn't? Sasuke wondered. What if Haru didn't come back? What if he had died? It was something that he didn't want to think about, yet the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it could be true. His black eyes shadowed as he gently untangled himself from the girl, backing away from her slowly. He inched towards the entrance of the cave, his hands shaking. He knew that he couldn't stay with the girl, she would only end up getting hurt. The girl froze as she stared at his retreating figure. Sasuke couldn't stand it, he turned and bolted. Tears leaked out of his eyes as he ran away from the only place he considered home. His cries were carried away by the wind.

 _Is everyone that I care about doomed to die?_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Haru opened his eyes, but immediately shut them as he felt them sting. He found that he was lying face down in a sewer. Grunting, he pushed himself up to a sitting position, too tired to care that his clothing was being soaked by water. It was then he noticed something strange. He was sitting in a puddle of water, yet he didn't seem to be wet. Opening his eyes once more, he looked around, only to see the sewer lit up by a eerie green light. He was sure that there was nothing remotely close to this in the village, which brought up the question: Where was he?

The boy knew that there could be someone out there, so it seemed like a good idea to move around. He randomly chose a direction and started walking, only to hit a barrier not even a minute later. Rubbing his head, he stepped back a little bit and noticed a nearly transparent barrier cutting off his advance. The boy ran a hand down the barrier, finding it as smooth and slick as glass. Black symbols spread out from the place he touched revealing the entire expanse of the seemingly endless barrier that enclosed him. Making sure to keep his hand on the glass, he leaned closer and squinted at the characters. Blearily, he recognized them as components of a seal. He recognized the basic structure of a containment seal, but it was modified in a way that he didn't understand. There were a few characters he recognized, storage and barrier, but there were even more that he had no recollection of ever seeing. He regretted spending so much time on improving his handwriting instead of studying theory.

He ran a finger across the unfamiliar characters of the seal, trying to decipher them, but soon stopped, realizing that he lacked the knowledge necessary. He took his hand off the glass, clutching his head. It was futile. The few basics of sealing that he knew weren't enough to even begin to understand, let alone figure out how to destroy, the seal. They boy sighed sat down in the strangely dry water, folding his hands in his lap. He figured that he might as well meditate to calm himself down.

Haru was never a very rash person. Years on the streets had taught him patience. He learned how to analyze people, how to read them, how to take advantage of his height and age to steal from others. Of course, he had noticed the odd glares and whispers, but he figured that him living on the streets and stealing for a living had sparked hatred among the villagers. The boy had surmised that the seal was used to keep him in the box like structure it took. He knew the one that put it there was the man who had captured him. The boy had three questions. _What does this seal do? Why was it put on me? How do I break it?_ Haru shook his head, knowing that he didn't have the necessary information to answer the essential questions. He closed his eyes and placed his hands on his crossed legs, slipping into a trance.

* * *

A purple haired woman stood outside tower, where she knew that the village leader was currently. She warily approached that guard, who looked at her lazily. She scoffed. The lax security within the building left something to be desired. "Name?" he asked, chewing on a senbon that never seemed to leave his mouth and bringing Mitarashi out of her thoughts.

"Mitarashi Anko," she said, smirking at him. The woman leaned forward a bit, causing the guard to blush. She grinned, her purple eyes never loosing their teasing glint.

"Reason for coming?" the guard asked, his voice containing a little shiver. The woman smiled, taking pleasure in the way that she affected people.

"To report on a mission," she said, slurring her words and taking a step forwards. The man blushed, his senbon falling out of his mouth.

"R-r-right," he stuttered. "The Hokage is in his office." The woman's smile widened and she blew the man a kiss as she sauntered passed him.

"Thank you," she called, leaving a very flustered man behind. She continued on her way, going through the familiar twists and turns of the tower. It was laid out in such a way that on who was unfamiliar with the building would get lost almost immediately. She walked up to the door that led to the leader. Knocking quietly, she waited until she was allowed to enter.

Pushing open the door, she found herself in a circular room occupied by a large wooden desk and an old man sitting behind it. The sun shone into the room, illuminating the wooden floors. The gigantic windows allowed the woman to see the village. She knelt and waited for permission to speak. It wasn't long before the Hokage looked up.

"Ah, Mitarashi Anko. What may I do for you today?" the leader asked, his face settling into a small smile as he gestured for her to rise.

"Shinobi #011226 reporting about mission, sir!" Anko said, a little nervous to report what she needed to. The leader gestured for her to go on. The woman swallowed audibly. "Sir, as you know, I was assigned to watch over the Jinchuriki and prevent him from being killed. He was to remain ignorant of his status. The mission was…" The woman took a deep breath, her hands shaking by her sides. "... a failure," she muttered, flinching back from the leader. Despite being an old man, he was once renowned as the strongest ninja in the world. She cringed as she saw him rise, his hand hitting the table with such force that it splintered.

"Explain." The word was a command filled with so much authority that the woman knew that the elderly man would stop and nothing to get answers.

"The brat, uh, Haru, uh, the Jinchuriki," Anko started, unsure about how she should address the boy. "Was kidnapped yesterday morning. I have spent all night scouring the village and the surrounding forests for the boy. He was nowhere to be found. And…" she trailed off, bringing a book out from underneath her jacket. "This was in the library, right where he was taken," she said, handing the man the book. The old man flipped through it before blanching.

"Where did he find this?" the man asked, his voice deadly calm. The woman shrugged.

"I have no idea." The man started pacing.

"This book is only supposed to be found in the vaults deep underneath this very tower. Only a few people even know it exists, all of them either clan heads, elite shinobi, or the advisors." The man's eyes glinted as he stopped pacing. He looked directly at the woman, who shivered in fright. "It seems like we have a traitor in our midst."

* * *

A girl walked through the village with her head down. Her once brightly colored dress had long since faded into a dull piece of fabric. Her pink hair was greasy, having not been washed for days. The girl sighed as she made her way through the streets of the village, hoping to see a hint of blond, purple or black hair.

After the blond had disappeared, the girl had taken to wandering the streets. Her confidence had wavered, and she had slipped back into the slight stutter she had before she had before she had met the blond. With no one to encourage her, she thought that she wasn't worth anything. Her once sparkling green eyes were dull and listless.

Aimlessly walking for a few minutes, she noticed that her feet had taken her to the meadow that the blond had shown her. She fell to her knees before the tree, where she had carved the word "Spring" onto the bark. Tears filled her eyes as she gazed at the crude carving.

"Haru," she sobbed, her face hidden by her hands. "I wish you were here right now. You would know what to do. You were always the strong one, the one that we could depend on." Her voice was scratchy and hoarse, but she knew what she wanted to say. "I'll wait for you," she said. "For as long as I can." The girl stood up and wiped her tears away. Her lips twisted upwards into a cynical grimace.

 _But how long can I wait with everyone leaving me?_

She left the clearing, finding herself unable to stay there any longer. She let her feet take her wherever they wanted to go, and she somehow ended up in the middle of the residential area in the village. It was an area that she wasn't as familiar with. She looked around in confusion, trying to figure out where she was.

"Little girl!" an exuberant voice called. She turned to see a pink haired man calling out to her. She took a step back. His hair was styled into several spikes that jutted out from his head.

"Y-Y-Yes?" she asked politely, her eyes never losing their lifeless sheen.

"Are you lost? Where are your parents?" Sakura visibly flinched. Her parents. She loathed them. White hot pain erupting through her arm, the sting of a slap, the burning of flesh were all feelings associated with her parents.

"I-I-I'm an orphan," she muttered, looking down at her feet. The pink haired man frowned.

"That won't do," he declared. "How would you like to live with my wife and I?" Sakura looked up, startled. She studied the man, but he seemed genuine. He didn't give off the frightening aura her biological father did. After a few moments, she nodded. The man bounced on the balls of her feet, reminding her of Haru when he was excited. A pang shot though her heart, but she ignored it in favor of following the chatty man. Perhaps she could start a new life.

* * *

Pale hands pillaged the pockets of passing pedestrians, their owner pocketing whatever the stole. The black haired boy sighed, making his way to a playground and sitting in a swing. His hands emptied his pockets, and his brain took stock of everything that his hands had taken. He sighed. It was not nearly enough to buy a house. Swinging his feet, he tried to think. He missed Haru and Sakura, but he didn't want them to get hurt. He smiled wryly. Everyone who he got close to would die. There was no way that would he allow himself to get close to anyone. His heart twanged as he remembered how he had left the pink haired girl in the cave. Alone.

He had ignored her every time she tried to approach him on the streets. He pushed her away, before getting lost in the crowds, blending in. He knew that she could probably find him if she tried to. After all, she knew the streets better than he did. The fact that she didn't seem to try to find him hurt more than he thought it would.

 _"You'd do well to stay away," he muttered at the pink haired girl who was trailing him. He didn't turn around, but he knew that he girl's green eyes would be welling with tears, something that happened often since Haru left._

 _"B-b-but," the girl stuttered. The boy sighed. The girl had reverted to her stuttering habit. It made his annoyance grow. He finally faced the girl, his face and eyes blank._

 _"Do you not understand?" he asked. "I do not wish to associate myself with you." Sasuke abruptly turned around, not wanting the girl to see the single tear that ran down his cheek._

 _"I-i-i." The girl tried to form a coherent sentence but failed. Sasuke's hands were shaking, so he shoved them in his pockets, rubbing his thumb on a coin that he had found earlier that day. The girl looked down at her feet, before clenching her fists. "Look at me," she uttered, without stuttering. Sasuke was surprised. He turned around, but not before wiping his tear away. The girl didn't notice his red eyes. "Haru wouldn't have wanted this. Don't you remember? We promised to stay together. I do not know what you think you will accomplish by pretending the past half a year didn't exist, but I hope you know that Haru would be disappointed. As am I." With that, the pink haired girl turned on her heel and strode away. Sasuke was left standing there with a shocked look on his face. He smiled slowly, knowing that the girl would be alright, even without him. Another tear slid down his cheek. Another stab of pain ran through his chest. Another crescent formed on his palm, from his nails digging into hands. Yet he was relieved._

 _"I'm sorry Sakura, Haru, but I would rather you guys remain safe. If you get close to me, you will get hurt." Sasuke looked down at his hand, where four red crescent marks stood out on his pale palm. He smiled bitterly. "Who am I kidding?" he muttered. "I'm not content just watching the people I've grown to care for, but it's for the best. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me." The boy turned and walked the opposite way from the girl, leaving a trail of tears behind._

Perhaps the money in his pockets and everything he had hidden away would be enough to rent an apartment for a short while. He closed his eyes and tried to remember what Haru had told him. Apparently, the landowner was a short man with black hair and grey eyes. He almost always wore a gold ring around his middle finger. He stood up to go search for the man.

It was nearly nightfall when the black haired boy had found the landowner. The man had taken one look at the boy and ushered him into the building. When Sasuke had tried to ask if he could rent an apartment, he was promptly tossed the keys. The man then led him to the apartment that he would be staying in.

"What about the rent?" he asked, fumbling with the metal objects. He man merely waved his hand, dismissing the issue altogether. "But..." Sasuke protested, trying to shove the little money he had into the man's hands. The man simply waved him off and gently guided him into the apartment. It was sparsely furnished, but there was more than enough to live with.

"Don't worry about it," he said, walking towards the door. He paused in the frame. "After all, you're an Uchiha, aren't you?" Sasuke froze. He couldn't even say thank you as the man walked out of the door, leaving the nearly nine year old in the empty apartment.

 _Uchiha_ , Sasuke thought painfully. _I hate that name. I would be better off without it._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A blond ran through the village, cackling loudly. He had just dumped buckets of multi-colored paint over the most pristine, white compound in the village, staining at a myriad of neon hues. He was proud of his handy work. The blond boy somehow managed to avoid detection in his bright orange jumpsuit, which stood out no matter where he was; it was a wonder that no one had seen him set up his prank, especially since it had taken him two days to set up all the buckets. He had rigged them to a wire so that once a particular door opened, paint would come raining down on the compound. He stayed to watch his project in action, but was now dashing through the village, lest someone catch him near the scene of the crime. He slowed down to a walk, his hands automatically seeking pockets to steal from. The boy didn't know why his hands mindlessly took things from people, but he assumed that it had something to do with his missing memories.

 _"Child, wake up!" A hand was shaking him. The blond boy opened his bright blue eyes, taking in the white hospital room around him. His eyes blearily focused on the man sitting across from him. He didn't recognize the man. The man had his hand on a cane, and was wrapped in bandages. A few moments later, he realized that he didn't remember anything. "Child, do you know what happened?" The blond focused on the words the man was saying. He slowly shook his head, being careful not to aggravate his injuries. He winced as he felt the bandages around his cheeks scrape against the wounds as he turned his head._

 _"No, what happened?" he asked, clutching his head, desperately searching for something, for anything. He didn't notice the man's smirk._

 _"I found you lying on the floor. You were positioned next to a few alcohol bottles. I think that some drunk people beat you up. I brought you here to be healed. Do you remember your name?" the man asked. The boy squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to remember. He couldn't. He shook his head, defeated, and looked up at the man before answering. His blue eyes reflected his anguish._

 _"I can't," he nearly whimpered. "Who am I? Who are you?" he asked, almost to himself._

 _"My name is Shimura Danzo," the man introduced himself. "Since you don't have a name, would you like me to give you one?" The boy nodded eagerly; he wanted to have a name; he wanted to feel like he belonged. The man was suddenly reminded of a young redheaded genin. He smiled a bit in her memory. "I'll name you Naruto," he said, thinking of the redhead's favorite food. "Uzumaki Naruto." The blond jumped up in happiness._

 _"Thank you," he shouted in delight, giving the man a hug. He noticed how the man froze, before returning the gesture. The blond pushed the thought out of his mind, deeming it unimportant. He was focused on his new name._

Naruto came to a stop in front of a building. Danzo had taken him to a man called the Hokage. The Hokage had given him a small apartment to live in, as well as a monthly stipend. The boy was grateful to both men, but hadn't wanted to bother them, so he refused to contact either of them for help. He entered the sparsely furnished, one room apartment. He sat down on his bed. It had been weeks and none of his memories have returned. He sighed.

"I wonder what I was like," he muttered out loud. He winced at the way his voice reverberated around the room. He hated the silence in his empty apartment. He didn't want to stay there anymore. He decided that walking around in the park was better than staying inside the barren apartment. With that thought in mind, he headed outside.

* * *

The pink haired girl had grown used to the life that her new parents provided. Her closets were filled with quality clothing, she had a place to sleep comfortably every night, and she could even take a shower whenever she wanted. It was a far cry from what life in the cave was like, yet she felt empty.

She would see the black haired boy and feel the urge to run up to him. She wanted to tell him about her new life, but one look into his cold, black eyes left her frozen and shaking in fear. The eyes were filled with hatred. The girl observed the way that he moved around the village. She didn't like what she saw. The long, smooth gait radiated arrogance and confidence. The small smirk present on his face gave him the appearance of a conceited brat. His once warm eyes had hardened into glittering black diamonds that she could no longer read. She hated it. She hated that she was powerless. She hated how she couldn't prevent him from leaving. She hated how Haru had left them. She hated how weak she was without him, without either of the boys that meant so much to her. And she hated the feeling of weakness.

The girl sat down on a bench and clenched her fists. She decided that she didn't want to feel powerless anymore. Her green eyes hardened as she remembered the promise that the three of them had made.

 _"Don't you ever wonder what it's like to be more than this?" Haru asked, gazing up at the stars. The view from the forest was incredible. There were no lights that obscured the stars. Sakura tore her gaze away from the twinkling stars and turned her head towards him._

 _"What do you mean?" she asked. The blond opened his mouth and was about to speak, but Sasuke was the one who answered._

 _"More than unfortunate orphans? We could become ninja, we would be able to make a living taking missions and such. We could have better lives," the black-haired boy mused. The blond nodded, his blue eyes glowing eerily in the moonlight._

 _"Yes. We could protect ourselves. Remember the day when we first met?" he asked Sasuke. Sasuke nodded mutely. Sakura did too as Haru turned to her. "Remember what I said?" Sakura nodded._

 _"You wanted to be a ninja to protect others. So that we wouldn't have to steal." Haru smiled._

 _"How about it?" he asked, looking at the others._

 _"Let's do it!" the other two agreed easily. Haru had a charisma that made them believe that it was a good idea. She wanted to follow him, not just because the idea was good, but also because Haru was a genuinely good person. She wanted to protect the blond, like he had protected her._

 _"It's a promise," the three laughed as they stacked their fists on top of each others._

Sakura sighed, glancing down at her hands. She fisted her right hand and mimicked the motion that they had used while making promises. A tear slowly rolled down her cheek as she realized that no one was there to stack hands with her. They spent months studying for the entrance exams, none of the eight year olds went. After Haru disappeared, Sakura didn't have the motivation to go. She didn't know where Sasuke went, but she often saw him in the village during academy hours, so she was sure that he didn't attend.

Thinking back to the promise they made, she decided that she wanted to fulfill it. She wanted to become a ninja, if only to protect Haru's memory. Bouncing to her feet, she ran to tell her new parents her decision. Hopefully, they would support her on her endeavor.

And they did. She was all set to take the entrance exams the next year. She would be nine years old, just the right age. With that thought, she threw herself into studying with a vigor that she had not had since Haru disappeared. A faint smile could be seen as she poured over her books. Her eyes reflected the determination she felt, and the confidence she had in her decision.

 _Haru, just you wait. I'll fulfill our promise._

* * *

Haru hated the box he was trapped in. It didn't allow him to go further than the glass like barriers that surrounded him. But that's where things got interesting. On the back wall, there was a small reflection. On that reflection, he could catch glimpses of the outside world from his dark box. He assumed that he was catching glimpses of the outside world. The world that his body was seeing while he was trapped in this box. From his observations, he surmised that he was trapped inside his mind. His body didn't seem to get tired, and he could stay awake for hours. He knew that it was the man who had captured him that had sealed him inside his mind. The seal prevented him from changing his mindscape, which meant that he was stuck in the sewer until the seal was broken. Which prompted the question: How was the seal supposed to be broken?

From his basic studies, Haru knew of three ways to break a seal. One would be to destroy the seal matrix. It was impossible from inside the box. The seal prevented him from changing his mindscape, and the sewer water didn't have any effect on the seal. Two was to overload the seal with chakra, which might make it explode. Haru didn't want anything to explode. He also didn't have enough chakra to overload the seal, and he had tried. Multiple times. From the complexity of the seal, it would take at least 10 times as much chakra than he had, and at eight years old, he had the chakra reserves of a jonin. Three would be to drain all of the chakra out of the seal, deactivating it. The problem with that was the fact that the seal would reactivate as soon as he let chakra back into the system. Although he wasn't comfortable with the fact, he had resigned himself to being sealed into a corner of his mind.

He watched and grimaced as the person inhabiting his body destroyed it. He saw how much the boy, whom Haru thought was named Naruto, ate. He winced as he watched the boy consume vast amounts of ramen, barely breathing. The boy didn't train, and he observed as his built up muscles disappeared. The only consolation was the fact that the body moved as he had wanted it to. Naruto's steps, guided by eight years of muscle memory, was still fluid and treaded softly. He took note of how his hands seemed to automatically rifle through the pockets of people, taking anything that he unconsciously deemed useful. Haru bowed his head as he sat in the sewer, wondering how long it would take for him to find a way out.

" _Haru," Sakura tugged his sleeve. Haru put aside the wood he had gathered and turned his attention to the still-pink haired girl. He didn't say anything, but Sakura knew that he was focused on her. "What would you do if we separated?" The boy narrowed his eyes._

 _"Why would you think that we would be separated?" he questioned softly. There was no hint of anger in his voice, but a bit of sadness was present in his eyes. The girl fidgeted with her dress under his heavy gaze._

 _"I-I-I just thought that since you do so much for me, what would happen to me if you, or Sasuke weren't there? I don't want you two to leave. I know that I'm not strong enough to survive on my own."_

 _"Neither are Sasuke and I," the blond added. He held up a hand to stall interruptions. "None of us are strong individually. We all have problems, but together, we make up for them. I wouldn't survive on my own, something would have eaten me by now. You contribute much more than you give yourself credit for." Sakura smiled happily. With renewed vigour, she darted out of the cave to go gather more pine cones. Haru smiled as he returned to his task. He was still wearing the smile when Sasuke came back. He gained a few strange glances, but didn't pay attention to them. He was glad that the girl knew how much she meant to both of them._

Sitting in his mindscape, Haru couldn't help but think back to the question Sakura had asked him that day. At that point, Sasuke had just joined their duo, and he hadn't completely opened up to either of them. So he had done what he did best. He had expertly avoided answering the inquiry. He ran away from the question. If he was completely honest, at that point in time, he didn't know what he would do if they were separated. He didn't know what they would do either. The only thing he could do, sitting in his mind, was hope. Hope that they remembered the bonds that they had with each other. Hope that they didn't abandon one another. Hope that each of them remained alive.

Haru snorted. He knew what he wanted to say as an answer, but that wasn't a possibility at that point. _Sakura_ , he thought, trying to project his thoughts into her mind, but knowing that it was futile. _I now know my answer, Sakura. I apologize for not telling you when you asked. I would find a way to get us all together again. No matter what I have to do._


End file.
